The invention is directed to an improved candy floss machine. Coin-operated candy floss machines are well known. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,443 (Salvi) and French Pat. No. 2,248,792 (General Properties Anstalt). In these machines, a charge of sugar is dumped in a rotary head. The head is provided with a heating element. When the element is energized, heat is generated within the head. As the head spins, candy filaments or floss are ejected through orifices in the head wall.
In the machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,443 (Salvi), sticks are stored in a reservoir. A mechanism dispenses a stick for use by the customer. The customer inserts the stick in the machine through an opening in the front of the machine casing to collect the floss being spun out by the rotating head. Excess floss is collected in a rotary trough surrounding the head.
In a machine of the type described in French Pat. No. 2,248,792 (General Properties Anstalt), a mechanism is provided for automatically dispensing a stick from a magazine to a location proximal to the rotary head. Candy floss ejected by the head is collected by the stick. The stick is rotated to assist in collecting the floss. The head is surrounded by a rotary drum. The drum deflects floss spun out by the head and sweeps the floss to the stick. At the end of a machine cycle, the stick and floss is dropped into a receptacle where it can be retrieved by the customer.
The sticks are stored in the magazine in a filar or straight line arrangement. The file of sticks is spring-urged towards a stop. A motor operated plunger forces a stick out of the magazine towards a pair of rollers and a collar and sleeve arrangement disposed below the magazine. One of the rollers is motor driven while the other is a spring-urged idler roller. The stick enters the nip between the rollers, spreading the rollers, and is driven by the rollers towards the collar and sleeve arrangement. The collar is seated on the sleeve and is provided with a central opening having a cross-section similar to the cross-section of the stick. The collar comprises two facing segments. One segment is bolted to the sleeve. The other segment is freely mounted on the sleeve. This segment may be spread from the bolted segment by a stick entering the central opening of the collar.
The collar segments are urged towards each other by means of resilient washers, insuring that the segments clamp the stick in position in the collar. The collar is rotated by a friction drive with the stick retained therein. Thus, the stick rotates about its own axis within the rotating collar. As the stick rotates, it collects floss which is spun out by the rotary head. At the end of a machine cycle, heat supply to the head ceases, and a new stick is moved out of the magazine towards the collar. The new stick enters the nip between the rollers and is driven by the rollers into contact with the top of the stick which is clamped in the collar. The latter stick, with floss collected thereon, is ejected from the collar and drops towards the receptacle.
Various difficulties have been encountered in operating such machines. For example, the filar storage magazine severely limits the number of sticks which may be stored in the machine. In addition, when the magazine is fully loaded unequal forces develop on the first and last sticks in the file. If the sticks are not uniform in dimensions and strength, broader sticks towards the front of the magazine may at times not be dispensed at all; and narrower sticks towards the rear of the magazine may be dispensed two sticks at a time.
In addition, the filar arrangement provides support for the stopped sticks only in respect to the fore and aft faces. When the stick is being ejected from the stick dispenser, the stick may bow at the two unsupported faces. Under stress of the plunger mechanism, the stick may break.
Further, the rollers which drive the stick towards the collar are normally in contact, grinding against each other before being spread apart by a descending stick. This results in objectionable wear of the rollers.
Difficulty may also be experienced in aligning a stick with the collar opening. Thus, the stick is driven by the rollers towards the collar as the collar is rotating. As the stick reaches the mouth of the rotating collar opening, it may not be able to align with and enter the opening. Moreover, even if the stick is aligned in the collar, it is being rotated with the collar while it is being driven downwardly by the rollers. Thus, the stick may be twisted and the stick edges shaved or splintered by the rollers.
It has also been found that floss accumulates in clusters on the drum surrounding the rotary head if the plunger mechanism is activated to force the stick out of the collar immediately when the heat supply to the head is cut off. This is due to the production of residual floss by the rotating head as the head cools. The floss is spun out towards the drum but is not collected by the stick, as the stick is no longer in position to collect floss.
An advantage of the present invention is that the stick storage space within the machine is optimally utilized by providing an annular storage region.
Another advantage of the invention is that uniform forces are applied to the stored sticks and the stored sticks are supported on all four faces when in position to be dispensed to ensure reliable dispensing of the sticks one at a time.
A further advantage of the invention is that the rollers which drive a stick towards the collar and sleeve arrangement are maintained in spaced apart relation so that grinding and wear of the rollers is eliminated.
A still further advantage of the invention is that the collar and sleeve arrangement is provided with a loss of motion mechanism which permits rotary movement of the collar relative to the sleeve to insure that the stick aligns properly in the collar opening.
Another advantage of the invention is that the rotary drive for the collar is applied after the stick is released by the rollers, thus avoiding twisting of the stick.
Yet a further advantage of the invention is that the rotary drive to the drum surrounding the rotary head is not removed and the plunger mechanism is not activated immediately when the heat supply is cut out, thereby enabling the stick to remain in position in the collar to collect any excess or residual floss, preventing clusters of floss from forming on the drum.
An additional advantage of the invention is that the rate at which heat is initially applied to the head heater element may be varied, thereby enabling rapid reliable operation in all temperature environments.
Yet an additional advantage is that the length of the heating cycle, hence the total amount of heat supplied to the head, is variable depending on the initial temperature of the head.
Another advantage of the invention is that the temperature of the head may be maintained at a predetermined level (which may be pre-adjusted) after initial application of heat to the head.
Other advantages appear hereinafter.